Fighting back: Sarah Palin in threat to sue over 'series of lies and rumours' in new book

An attorney for Sarah Palin is threatening to sue over a new book that he says defamed the Palins and contains 'a series of lies and rumours.'

John Tiemessen, in a letter to the publisher of Crown Publishing Group on Monday, cites an email that author Joe McGinniss allegedly sent a blogger in January seeking substantiation for several rumours that have surrounded Palin's family.

That email was posted online last week by Andrew Breitbart.

Hurt by the wild claims: Sarah Palin instructed her lawyer to write a threatening letter to the book's publishers

Emails sent after hours to Crown Publishing, which is a division of Random House, and McGinniss weren't immediately returned, the Associated Press reports.

'Unsubstantiated gossip': McGinniss is accused of failing to properly source the book

McGinniss lived next door to the Palins in Alaska last year while researching the book, which was released last week.

The book has been widely panned by critics for using unnamed sources to criticize Palin and her family.

It is even claimed that McGinniss ran out of time to sufficiently source the book.

A source close to the Palins told ABC News that the 'Palins are fighting back and demanding answers from Random House.'

The source said: 'Random House is at the top of the food chain and published a book based upon acknowledged unsubstantiated gossip.'

'The revealing email is key as evidence of this defamatory approach to politics through proxies.'

Mr Tiemessen writes in the letter that the email 'clearly describes the fact that Mr. McGinniss researched and investigated many false and scurrilous allegations, and concluded that there was absolutely no evidence anywhere backing these allegations.'

Share or comment on this article:

Sarah Palin in threat to sue over 'series of lies and rumours' in new book